Cheap Glasses


Halloween themed glasses from Zenni

Rum Cherry Marshall from Warby-Parker


Revolver Black Duckworth from Warby Parker

My vision has been deteriorating for quite awhile, but it wasn't until my aunt claimed her knee-deep crows feet come from squinting all the time that I decided it was time for me to take action and get myself a nice pair of glasses. I went off to the eye doctor, got my prescription, and gasped when the eye doctor pointed me to the "cheap" wall. Apparently in eye doctor world "cheap" means "$250 or Less"- oh and that $250 is BEFORE you pay for the lenses. WHAT. There is no way my other friends manage to pay rent in DC AND pay for glasses so I took a survey and here's what I found:

Warby Parker

Total Cost: $99 includes lenses, frames, hard case, cleaning cloth, shipping
Pros: they mail you 5 pairs to try on for free for unlimited amount of time, tons of stayle variety (everything from "sexy librarian"-BF to "construction worker goggles" -Mom), you can pick different colors/patterns in every pair.

Warby is amazing. You go to their website, pick 5 pairs of glasses that you like, and Warby delivers the frames to your house in a few days so you can try all of them on with no time limit. You can test them out for a day or two, have a FaceTime fashion show with your mom aka the most brutally honest person you know ("oh you look like a carpenter in those, nope! Are those goggles? Why are they so big? What decade are you going to be wearing those in?"), get a BF's input ("those are sexy secretary" "those are sexy librarian" "those are not sexy anything"). You send back the glasses (free shipping, free to try them on, free free free), type in your prescription online and choose your glasses. In less than a week your brand new beautiful glasses. I went with the Sims (pictured above) and my insurance covered $50 of it. Amazingness.

OH and they donate a pair to someone in need when you buy one so you can get all warm and fuzzy when you buy sweet glasses.

Zenni Optical

Total Cost: $9.95-$49.95 includes lenses, frames, protective case, cleaning cloth, shipping
Pros: I mean did you see the price?? Lots of variety and colors, they also have holiday themed glasses...

When I asked around about glasses one of my friends casually said "Oh Zenni, that's where I get my holiday glasses" as if 'holiday glasses' are a thing. But they have TONS of variety and the prices are mind-blowingly cheap- their website claims it's because you are ordering straight from the manufacturer so no over-head costs. Seriously why does anyone go to the stores anymore? The only downside is that you can't try them on, but for $9.95 I think I can make the sacrifice. Here's to hoping there are Christmas themed glasses!

EyeBuyDirect

Total Cost: Average price is about $70 for everything
Pros: PRESCRIPTION SUNGLASSES (see below!!!), lots of variety, free returns (+$10 restocking charge)

I am ordering prescription sunglasses from them as soon as my next paycheck comes in. My friend who bought her glasses here is completely satisfied and said they have great customer service. They carry designer glasses AND have a page about selecting the right frames for your face shape.

Check out these sunglasses, should I get option 1 or 2?